E.U.'s Tough, New, Data Protection Rules Proposed

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The European Union will propose tough new rules in the coming days on how corporations handle Internet users' personal data, a long-awaited move that could have far-reaching implications for Web giants such as Google Inc and Facebook.

Viviane Reding, vice president of the European Commission, said in a speech on Sunday that the new data-protection legislation was needed to protect users and cut red tape for businesses in Europe.

"Only if consumers trust that their data is protected will they entrust companies with it ... We need individuals to be in control of their information," Reding said at the DLD conference of tech industry leaders in Munich.

zeus

10:16 am on Jan 23, 2012 (gmt 0)

Finally something good from the politicians, but ok they also dont get that much money from the companies like in other countries ;)

jmccormac

11:38 am on Jan 23, 2012 (gmt 0)

It is the EU Commission - the same shower of bozos that brought you the .eu fiasco and the Cookies directive. Don't hold your breath waiting for something clueful to emerge.

Regards...jmcc

StoutFiles

1:25 pm on Jan 23, 2012 (gmt 0)

The only thing this will lead to is mandatory encryption of passwords, credit card numbers, etc. Facebook and Google will still get to harvest every fact about you for advertising.

Sgt_Kickaxe

1:37 pm on Jan 23, 2012 (gmt 0)

I HOPE they propose that data cannot be kept longer than 6 months if a user doesn't voluntarily create a permanent account. Think a Google+ account vs a single transaction or purchase... the later shouldn't require permanent data be kept.

Data is safest when it's deleted permanently without copies.

zeus

1:38 pm on Jan 23, 2012 (gmt 0)

StoutFiles - about facebook and google im not sure about that, when you watch tv over here.

enigma1

10:11 am on Jan 29, 2012 (gmt 0)

I HOPE they propose that data cannot be kept longer than 6 months if a user doesn't voluntarily create a permanent account.

Yes that will be great. So after 6 months we could delete customer orders which is good as at the end of the year business turnover should show much lower for tax purposes. Based on the "sophistication" of these regulations I won't be surprised to see it happening.